July 19th, 2020: Appreciating God's Blessings

 How to Thank God for Every Blessing He Has Given Us: 9 Steps
 
A friend asked me whether I am traveling much these days. I didn't know how to answer it because I was not sure he was joking or not. "If I can collect points between moving from the living room to the kitchen, I would rack up tons of them," I told him jokingly. Traveling has become the most unlikely option for people nowadays. We might go to some places by driving but taking a plane is another story altogether.

Many cities have begun to promote the idea of discovering their own city. I saw an ad a few days ago in Calgary, and it says: "Come and Discover Calgary Northwest." That is where we live, so I asked my wife what would be exciting to see besides the fact we are the gateway to Banff National Park? Shopping Malls? Restaurants? Amusement Parks? Coffee Shops?

Well, we decided to take that ad seriously and have been going to various locations so we can get out of the house. We discovered that we had fun and started to appreciate the corner of our city that we had taken for granted.

We fail to appreciate God's blessings when we take things for granted. We will overlook the beauty of God and His creation. We undermine the values of God's presence around us. I learned to appreciate the friendlessness of those who serve us in restaurants and grocery stores more. I watched mom, dad and two youngsters who were having a great time in a playground not too far from us and gave thanks to God for what I saw.

We fail to appreciate one another as God's blessings in our life when we take other people for granted. We take our spouses for granted. Some people I know started to realize that they need to put more effort into their marriages. We take our families for granted. One friend told me how hard it was for his kids not to be able to see the grandparents for a few months. We take our friends for granted. I enjoyed the chance to reconnect with friends from many parts of the world during this time. People's presence in our life is one of the most incredible miracles in life. Therefore, any moment we have with them is a holy moment. It is because God makes it happen.

There is another form of traveling that I have done a lot since late March is in my thoughts. I remember the places I have been to and the people I met. I remember many conversations I had with these folks. We can see the hand of God in life by traveling through our memories. So let us travel, either physically and mentally, with the understanding that God is always our companion if we desire to have Him.

Hebrews 13: 16

"Make sure you don't take things for  granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have  with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship - a  different kind of "sacrifice" - that take place in kitchen and workplace  and on the streets."                                               


 

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